Surely one of the most prolific and creative artist to burst onto the dark underground music scene in the last few years, the relentless experimenting with synth and drum machines is the distinguishing DIY minimalistic approach to the music by the Swiss-German musician Carlo Onda.
The Heerbrugg-based artist channelled, since from he popped up in 2018, the sound aesthetics of synth-laden post-punk, and new wave from the 80s, gradually adding elements from subgenres like coldwave, darkwave, synth wave, industrial and NDW, combined with a distinctively fresh and modern edge.
Carlo Onda forthcoming new album, as its title “Sonnen & Baden” suggests, deals with enigmatic themes about holydays, while music-wise, easy to expect from our unpredictable man, anticipates intriguing new sonic suggestions, where the glittering disco balls of the High-Nrg and Italo Disco rhythms ricochet, creep and ultimately merge with the mechanical cold, bleak and noir-ish soundscapes of the Minimal-Wave, as the first preview “Schnee Fällt” clearly shows.
A rhythmical dance-inducing array of cowbells, kicks, claps and steady snares bolster punchy driving bassline that pulses and bounces up and down, switching from alarming flashing brightness to ominously oscillating buzzes, whilst sinuous sticky glassy synth flourishes, interspersed by sparse wistful piano notes and sparkling, melodic nostalgic chords, swirl around distraught, scratchy, distorted male vocals emotionally longing for comfort, while bitterly disenchanted with love.
Carlo Onda upcoming new LP, “Sonnen & Baden”, is due out May 25, 2020 in co-operation with Cold Transmission Music.
I strongly recommend to not to underestimate his other more guitar-tinged Karl Kave project, in the meantime
‘tanzt die Geister weg / dance the ghosts away’ with Carlo Onda.
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